Haley Overcame The Odds, Fighting Back Against Cancer

NORTH KINGSTOWN, RI — "A miracle, that's the best way to put it." That's how Jeff Roberts describes his daughter Haley's lifelong medical journey. Just a few months after she was born, Haley was diagnosed with Soft Tissue Sarcoma, a rare form of cancer. Since then, she has overcome the odds time and time again, showing her incredible strength and determination.

At first glance, you might not realize that anything is "wrong" with Haley today. She's just a regular 12-year-old girl, getting ready to head back to school. She loves being a part of the drama club and makes art. 12 years ago, things were very different.

Following a very difficult birth, Haley's parents began to notice irregularities in their newborn, particularly what they thought to be a large birthmark on the back of her neck. After several month, she began to show neurological symptoms. Doctors determined she had a large tumor near her brain stem, which was causing hydrocephalus, or a build-up of fluid within the brain that leads to swelling. When several rounds of chemo proved ineffective, they turned to surgery, removing as much of the tumor as they could in a grueling eight-hour surgery that required three blood transfusions.

"It wasn't an easy surgery, and we're lucky we had such an amazing doctor," Roberts said. "He removed as much of the tumor as he could see — approximately 40 percent."

Following the surgery, Haley's parents were told that, should she survive, she would likely be a quadriplegic, requiring special care throughout her life. Several days later, everything changed.

"My mother saw her move her finger," Roberts said. "After that, it was new miracles every day."

Against the odds, Haley grew up as normal as possible. Her cancer has been in remission since her surgery as an infant and she is able to walk, write and play like her peers.

"There are definitely some physical limitations that frustrate her, and it hurts me to see it," Roberts said.

Although she can walk and use her arms, the remaining tumor has impacted some of Haley's movement, especially on the left side of her body. While her left hand is very dexterous, it lacks strength, and she is unable to fully extend her left leg to run properly.

"It doesn't really slow her down though," he added with a laugh.

To make sure everything is as it should be, Haley returns to Boston every six months for scans. At the time she was first diagnosed, her parents lived together in an apartment less than a mile away from the children's hospital, which her dad calls another blessing. Unlike other families who are forced to drive hours to get their children the best care possible, they had the Dana Farber Institute and the Jimmy Fund in their backyard.

"Being in the NICU is an experience of its own," Roberts said, adding that his daughter is alive today because of their incredible standard of care.

Haley currently lives in Plymouth with her mom, while Roberts and his girlfriend are in North Kingstown. While he doesn't usually go to the scans with her, he said he likes to spend time with Haley's little sister during those times, who has done so much for her sister throughout her life.

"It's been a little bit of a burden on her, stepping into the big sister role sometimes even though she's younger," he said. "But she never complains. She's a big sister without actually being one."

Haley's father is raising money to give back to the Jimmy Fund.

"We felt like we really needed to do something," Roberts said. "It's one of the best causes out there and we want to give something back to the people who gave us so much."

"The most important thing is to remind her that it's not a limitation, something to hold her back," Roberts said. "It's just a different thing."